Anatel creates team to review sluggish MVNO market

Brazil's telecom regulator Anatel created a task force to examine why mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) have yet to effectively take off in the country.

The group is tasked with reviewing the current regulatory framework and identifying potential bottlenecks or other factors hindering the development of the segment, Anatel member Rodrigo Zerbone told reporters this week.

Despite the initial buzz following the approval of an MVNO regulation in 2010, there are only two MVNOs operating in the country: local car insurance Porto Seguro's Conecta, launched in 2012, and Datora/ Vodafone Brasil, which began operating in 2013.

Other MVNO deals are in the pipeline. MVNO enabler Sisteer and Virgin Mobile Latin America, which announced it had tapped Vivo's network to run its MVNO in January, are preparing to begin operations soon. Brazil's postal service Correios, meanwhile, is currently developing its go-to-market strategy.

No timeframe for the conclusion of the review was given.

There are so few MVNOs available because the segment is still in its infancy in Brazil, added Zerbone.